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L E Mortenson

Publications and source records attributed to L E Mortenson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Mapping the site(s) of MgATP and MgADP interaction with the nitrogenase of Azotobacter vinelandii. Lysine 15 of the iron protein plays a major role in MgATP interaction.

Nitrogenase binds and hydrolyzes 2MgATP yielding 2MgADP and 2Pi for each electron that is transferred from the iron protein to the MoFe protein. The iron protein alone binds but does not hydrolyze 2MgATP or 2MgADP and the binding of these nucleotides is competitive. Iron protein amino acid sequences all contain a putatitive mononucleotide-binding region similar to a region found in other mononucleotide-binding proteins. To examine the role of this region in MgATP interaction, we have substituted glutamine and proline for conserved lysine 15. The amino acid substitutions, K15Q and K15P, both yielded a non-N2-fixing phenotype when the genes coding for them were substituted into the Azotobacter vinelandii chromosome in place of the wild-type gene. The iron protein from the K15Q mutant was purified to homogeneity, whereas the protein from the K15P mutant could not be purified in its native form. Unlike wild-type iron protein, the purified K15Q iron protein showed no acetylene reduction, H2 evolution, or ATP hydrolysis activities when complemented with wild-type MoFe protein. The K15Q iron protein and the normal iron protein had a similar total iron content and both proteins showed the characteristic rhombic EPR signal resulting from the reduced state of the single 4Fe-4S cluster bridging the two subunits. Unlike the wild-type iron protein, addition of MgATP to the K15Q iron protein did not result in the perturbation necessary to change the EPR signal of its 4Fe-4S center from a rhombic to an axial line shape. Also unlike the wild-type iron protein, addition of MgATP to K15Q iron protein in the presence of the iron chelator, alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl, did not result in a time-dependent transfer of iron to the chelator. Thus, even though the K15Q iron protein contains a normal 4Fe-4S center, it does not respond to MgATP like the wild-type protein. Examination of the ability of the K15Q iron protein to bind MgADP showed no change from the wild-type iron protein, but its ability to bind MgATP decreased to 35% of the wild-type protein. Thus, in A. vinelandii iron protein, lysine 15 is not needed for interaction with MgADP but is involved in the binding of ATP, presumably through charge-charge interaction with the gamma-phosphate. Based on the above data, this lysine appears to be essential for the MgATP induced conformational change of wild-type iron protein that is required for activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1992

Kinetic and spectroscopic analysis of the inactivating effects of nitric oxide on the individual components of Azotobacter vinelandii nitrogenase.

The effects of nitric oxide (NO) on the individual components of Azotobacter vinelandii nitrogenase have been examined by kinetic and spectroscopic methods. Incubation of the Fe protein (Av2) for 1 h with stoichiometries of 4- and 8-fold molar excesses of NO to Av2 dimer resulted in a complete loss of activity of Av2 in C2H2-reduction assays. The kinetics of inactivation indicated that the minimum stoichiometry of NO to Av2 required to fully inactivate Av2 lies between 1 and 2. The rate of inactivation of Av2 activity by NO was stimulated up to 2-fold by the presence of MgATP and MgADP but was unaffected by the presence of sodium dithionite. Unexpectedly, complete inactivation of Av2 by low ratios of NO to Av2 also resulted in a complete loss of its ability to bind MgATP and MgADP. UV-visible spectroscopy indicated that the effect of NO on Av2 involves oxidation of the [4Fe-4S] center. EPR spectroscopy revealed that the loss of activity during inactivation of Av2 by NO correlated with the loss of the S = 1/2 and S = 3/2 signals. Appearance of the classical and intense iron-nitrosyl signal (g = 20.3) was only observed when Av2 was incubated with large molar excesses of NO and the appearance of this signal did not correlate with the loss of Av2 activity. The effects of NO on the MoFe protein (Av1) were more complex than for Av2. A time-dependent inactivation of Av1 activity (C2H2 reduction) was observed which required considerably higher concentrations of NO than those required to inactivate Av2 (up to 10 kPa).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1979

Identification of iron-sulfur centers in the iron-molybdenum proteins of nitrogenase.

The core extrusion method has been applied to the determination of the type ([2Fe-2S], [4Fe-4S]) and number of iron-sulfur centers in the FeMo proteins of the nitrogenases from Clostridium pasteurianum and Azotobacter vinelandii. The method involves extrusion with o-xylyl-alpha, alpha'-dithiol, ligand exchange of the extrusion products with p-CF3C6H4SH (RFSH), and identification and quantitation of the resultant [FenSn(SRF)4]2- complexes (n = 2,4) by 19F NMR spectroscopy. In hexamethylphosphoramide/water, 4:1 (vol/vol), 49-56% of the Fe content was extruded as [Fe4S4(SRF)4]2-, corresponding to 3,4-4.0 Fe4S4 cores per alpha 2 beta 2 subunit complex. The extruded iron does not arise from the FeMo cofactor, separate examination of which detected no extrusion products, and corresponds to 90-103% of noncofactor iron. No significant quantity of Fe2S2 cores was extruded. These results indicate the presence of four [4Fe-4S] centers per alpha 2 beta 2 subunit complex in preparations undepleted in iron. There are two main structural populations of iron atoms in these proteins, those in the cubane-type Fe4S4 cores and those in the FeMo cofactor.

Azotobacter↗
PubMed1976

Nitrogenases from Klebsiella pneumoniae and Clostridium pasteurianum. Kinetic investigations of cross-reactions as a probe of the enzyme mechanism.

In combination with the Mo-Fe protein of nitrogenase from Klebsiella pneumoniae, the Fe protein of nitrogenase from Clostridium pasteurianum forms an active enzyme with novel properties different from those of either of the homologous nitrogenases. The steady-state rates of reduction of acetylene and H+ are 12% of those of the homologous system from C.pasteurianim. Acetylene reductase activity exhibited an approx. 10min lag at 30 degrees C before the rate of reduction became linear, consistent with a once-only activation step being necessary for acetylene reduction to occur. No such lag was observed for H2 evolution. The activity with N2 as a reducible substrate was very low, implying that acetylene reductase activity is not necessarily an accurate indication of nitrogen-fixing ability. This is of particular relevance to studies on mutant and agronomically important organisms. Stopped-flow spectrophotometric studies showed unimolecular electron transfer from the Fe protein to the Mo-Fe protein to occur at the same rate (k2 = 2.5 X 10(2)s-1) and with the same dependence on ATP concentration (apparent KD = 400 muM) as with the homologous Klebsiella nitrogenase. However, an ATP/2e ratio of 50 was obtained for H2 evolution, indicating that ATP hydrolysis had been uncoupled from electron transfer to substrate. These data indicate that ATP has at least two roles in the mechanism of nitrogenase action. The combination of the Mo-Fe protein of nitrogenase of C.pasteurianim and the Fe protein of K.pneumoniae were inactive in all the above reactions, except for a weak adenosine triphosphatase activity, 0.5% of that of the homologous K.pneumoniae system.

Acetylene↗
PubMed1976

Purification and properties of paramagnetic protein from Clostridium pasteurianum W5.

The purification to homogeneity of the non-heme iron protein, sometimes referred to as either "red protein" or "paramagnetic protein", from Clostridium pasteurianum W5 extracts is described and its physicochemical properties studied. This paramagnetic protein (g= 1.94) has a molecular weight of about 25000 and contains two iron and two acid-labile sulfur atoms per mol of protein. Its midpoint potential at pH 7.5, as determined by electron paramagnetic resonance titration, is -300 mV. Optical circular dichroism and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of the paramagnetic protein are similar to those of two iron-two acid-labile sulfur ferredoxins. The biochemical reduction of the purified protein was also studied.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1976

The iron-sulfur centers and the function of hydrogenase from Clostridium pasteurianum.

Hydrogenase from C. pasteurianum is an iron-sulfur protein containing at least two tetrameric iron-sulfur centers. Information on the structure of the remaining iron atoms must await future investigation. Although the EPR spectra of dithionite-reduced hydrogenase and eight-iron Fd showed some similarity, the CD spectra clearly indicated a difference. The tetrameric iron-sulfur centers of hydrogenase were shown to undergo redox changes when hydrogenase was oxidized or reduced. However, no evidence is now available to support a role for the tetrameric Fe-S centers, responsible for the EPR spectrum A, as the primary site for H2 binding and activation. Because we have found that the [Fe4S4(SR)4]-containing ferredoxins do not have hydrogenase activity, it is conceivable that the additional iron atoms and/or certain amino acid residues of hydrogenase also contribute to the unique catalytic properties of this enzyme. Chemical synthesis of Fe-S clusters with different peptide environments and with hydrogenase function would lead to the identification of these functional groups. X-ray diffraction studies on hydrogenase will certainly complement the other approaches. Knowledge of the structure of the active site of hydrogenase will certainly accelerate research into: (1) the synthesis of a stable catalyst to replace hydrogenase in systems designed to produce H2 by coupling this catalyst to a photoreducing system; and (2) the elucidation of the active sites of more complicated iron-sulfur enzymes such as nitrogenase.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1976

Regulation of molybdate transport by Clostridium pasteurianum.

The regulation of the molybdate (MoO42-) transport activity of Clostridium pasteurianum has been studied by observing the effects of NH3, carbamyl phosphate, MoO42-, and chloramphenicol on the ability of cells to take up MoO42-. Compared with cells fixing N2, cells grown in the presence of 1 mM NH3 are greater than 95% repressed for MoO42- transport. Uptake activity begins to increase just before NH exhaustion (under Ar or N2) and continues to increase throughout the lag period as cells shift from NH3-growing to N2-fixing conditions. When cells are shifted from N2-fixing to NH3-growing conditions the transport activity per fixed number of cells decreases by increase of bells in absence of transport synthesis. Carbamyl phosphate (greater than or equal to 15 mM) but not NH3 inhibits 58% of the in vitro uptake activity. When 1 mM carbamyl phosphate is added just before the exhaustion of NH3, the transport activity, measured 2 h later, is 100% repressed. Cells grown in the presence of high MoO42- (1mM) are 80% repressed for MoO42- transport. Synthesis of the MoO42- transport system is also completely stopped when chloramphenicol (300 mug/ml) is added just before the exhaustion oNH 3 from the medium. These findings demonstrate that the ability of cells to transport MoO42- is dependent upon new protein synthesis and can be repressed by high levels of substrate. The regulation of MoO42- uptake by NH3 or carbamyl phosphate closely parallels the regulation of nitrogenase activity. Activity of neither nitrogenase component (Fe protein or MoFe protein) was detected even 3 h after the exhaustion of the NH3 if either MoO42- was absent or if WO42- was present in place of MoO42-. The duration of the diauxic lag increases with decreasing concentration of MoO42- in the medium. If no MoO42- is present the lag continues indefinitely. If MoO42- is added late in the lag period, growth under N2-fixing conditions resumes but only after a normal induction period.

Acetylene↗